Get Out of Town This Weekend
Memorial Day is this Monday, meaning a lot of Washingtonians have a three day weekend. With the extra day comes extra opportunity to take a day trip (or two) around the area. We polled our staffer for some good destinations in the area to share, so pump up the bike tires, get out the hiking boots or start the car (Zip, Flex, or your own). And if you have any other good suggestions, let us know in the comments.
Harpers Ferry, WV -- If you thought Harpers Ferry looks like it hasn't changed since 1850, you'd be right. The town, famous for John Brown's Raid, is nestled in the mountains at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah. The lower town is all original or restored buildings and you won't find a McDonald's or Exxon. Walking the brick-lined streets or the trail up Camp Hill to Storer College, you can almost imagine life in early industrial times. There are other hikes around the town too, like the ruins along the riverfront. Take the quick route up I-270 through Frederick or the scenic route through Leesburg. - Andrew Wiseman
If you're up for a good challenge, try biking up to Harpers Ferry. It's pretty much impossible to get lost -- just follow the C&O Canal trail north for 60 miles. Along the way you'll pass Great Falls and White's Ferry (the last fully operational ferry across the Potomac), not to mention spend the better part of the day in complete natural isolation. Once you get to Harpers Ferry, bunk up in one of the local hotels or head a mile or so north of town along the path, where you can camp alongside the river. And if that's not enough, you can keep on going for about 120 miles, ending up in Cumberland, Maryland along the border with Pennsylvania. - Martin Austermuhle
Natural Bridge, VA -- This weekend, I'll be venturing to Natural Bridge, Virginia, which seems to be a kind of wacky mix of touristy fun and earthly beauty. The bridge itself is considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and is apparently taller than Niagara Falls. There are walking trails, caverns, options for hiking and canoeing and plenty of places to camp – you've got your standard fare like Jellystone, but we'll be trying out Wilderness Canoe for a bit more of a rustic experience. There's also a hotel on site.
Around Natural Bridge, though, there are many options for entertainment of the non-flora and fauna variety. There's Foamhenge, a Styrofoam replication of the famous relic. There's a dinosaur theme park. There's a haunted house, a wax museum – the list goes on. Even more weirdly, every night, a light show takes place across the bridge, reenacting the drama of creation. Should be an interesting trip. - Missy Frederick
Shenandoah National Park -- only 75 miles west on I-66 is Shenandoah National Park, a terrific and popular option. It's some of the best hiking and scenic driving on the Eastern seaboard. The Northern District, starting just south of Front Royal, Virginia, is the easiest to access and consequently can be the most crowded, but it has some fine trails including the varied Dickey Ridge Trail and Jeremy's Run. If you've got a little more time, the Central District includes some of the more famous and spectacular hikes. We recommend packing a lunch and doing the Cedar Run - Whiteoak Canyon loop, descending along one series of cascades, then climbing up another for a spectacular view of one of the park's best falls. And there's always Hawksbill Summit, the park's highest peak, and, of course, the venerable Old Rag (see below). - Graham Hough-Cornwell
Anyone who is willing to drive all the way out to Shenandoah should spend the day hiking Old Rag Mountain, a must-hike for lovers of the outdoors. The hike is listed as “very challenging” by the National Park Service but anyone in decent shape should be able to complete the seven mile hike. Release your inner 10-year-old on the rock scramble and be sure to take lunch so that you can spend a half hour soaking in the amazing vistas at the mountain’s peak. Old Rag is a popular hiking destination, so there can be crowds and bottlenecks at times. Getting there early will speed things up a bit. - Sriram Gopal
Some other recommendations we have are brewery tours, like Yuengling Brewery, America's oldest, in Pottsville, PA, although tours are only going on Saturday, or closer afield, Old Dominion in Ashburn, VA, but you'll have to schedule an appointment. If you like wine rather than beer, Graham recommends Jefferson Vineyards and Jeff Beam says he liked Barboursville Vineyards, and there are a number of other good ones in Virginia's booming wine country.
It's also Jamestown's 400th anniversary this year, so a trip to the oldest permanent English colony could be great, though probably pretty crowded. If you're more into a lazy day of history, Antietam Battlefield was the site of the bloodiest single day battle in U.S. military history, and the nearby town of Sharpsburg is charming. And there's always Annapolis or Charlottesville, Philly or Richmond.
So what about you readers? Got any favorite spots to visit? Where are you heading this weekend?
Road photo by Flickr user LaTur. Natural Bridge photo by mostaghimi used under a Creative Commons license. Antietam photo from the National Park Service's website.